Leather-splitting machine



(No Model.) 5 Sheets-Sheet 1.

J.'A. SAPPORD.

LEATHER SPLITTING MACHINE.

No. 465,145. Patented Dec. 15, 1891 Q is i 144% @W. W

(No Model.) 5 S heetsSheet 2.

J. A. SAPFOR D.

L'E ATHEB SPLITTING MACHINE.

No. 465,145. 7 h Patented Dec. 15, 1891.

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, J. A. SAFFORD.

LEATHER SPLITTING MACHINE.

$10,465,145. Patented Dec. 15, '1891.

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L H d 0 M 0 W No. 465,145. Patented Dec. 15, 1891.

Letters Patent No. 305,240, granted to me ed to successfully cut andproperly split difleather which have to be split by the same machine,each requiring a different treatment leather are not successful insplitting other improvements which I will now proceed to describe andclaim. f

In the-accompanying drawings, forming a pai't o'f-thisspecification,Figure 1 represents a front elevation of a leather-splitting lili'lr' LUNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOSEPH A. SAFFORD, OF MALDEN, MASSACHUSETTS.

LEATHER-SPLITTING MACHINE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 465,145, dated December15, 1891.

Application filed May 4, 1891. Serial No. 391,508. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, JOSEPH A. SAFFORD, of Malden, in the county ofMiddlesex and State of ltlassachusetts, have invented certain new anduseful Improvements in Leather-Splitting Machines, of which thefollowing is a specification.

This invention relates to that class of leather-splitting machines inwhich a stationary splitting-knife is employed, and in co-operationtherewith an adjustable feed-roll and an adjustable gage-roll, saidrolls presenting the leather to the splitting-knife, while the gage-rolldetermines the thickness of the piece of leather by governing the amountcut or splitfrom it by the knife. A type of leathersplitting machine ofthis class is shown in September 16, 1884.

The present invention has for its object to provide certain improvementsin machines of this class whereby the machine may be adaptferent kindsand qualities of leather. I have found in my experience that in almostevery establishment where leather-splitting machines are used there areseveral kinds of from the-others, so that machines as usuallyconstructed heretofore, while adapted to operate successfully on one ormore kinds of To these ends the invention consists in thechine providedwith my improvements. Fig. 2 represents a rear elevation of the same.Fig. 3 represents a section on line 3 3, Fig. 1. Fig. 4. represents anend elevation. Fig. 5 represents a section similar to Fig.- 3, showingcertain modifications in the construction and mode of operation of thefeed-roll-cleaning brush. Fig.6 represents an elevation of a portion ofthe machine constructed as shown in Fig. 5. Fig. 7 represents a sectionon line 7 7, Fig.6. Fig. 8, Sheet 1, represents a section on line 8 8,Fig. 4. Fig. 9 represents a sec tional View of the feed-roll, gage-roll,and knife, together with the pressure rolls or bars hereinafter referredto. Figs. 10, 11, and 12 represent similar views to Fig. 9. Fig. 13represents a sectional view of the machine, showing the improved chuteor guide for strips of leather and the improved gage or indicatingdevice. Fig. 14 represents a perspective View of said chute or guide.Fig. 15 represents a perspective view of one member of the indicatingdevice; and Fig. 16 represents an elevation of a portion of the machine,showing the stationary member of the indicating device or gage and thefinger co-operating' therewith.

The same letters of reference indicate the- The rolls E and F have theirbearings, re

spectively, in swinging arms or levers a a and b b, the arms a asupporting the roll E and the arms I) b the roll F. Said arms arepivoted at their lower ends to the supportingframe, and they constitutepivoted supports which enable the rolls to be adjusted relatively toeach other and to the knife with the minimum of .friction,as describedin Letters Patent No. 305,240, above referred to. The

general construction, so far as the means for supporting, rotating, andadjusting the rolls E and F is concerned, is preferably the same as insaid patent.

My improvements include means for connectingeach of the arms a asupporting the feed-roll E with the supporting frame .by means of adouble or practically universal joint, the object being to enable thefeed-roll to be adjusted parallel with the edge of the knife withoutbinding the journals of the roll in its bearings. It sometimes. happensthat in grinding the knife the alignment of the cutting-edge is changed,so that said edge extends in a slightly diagonal direction, and as it isof the utmost importance that both the feed-roll and the gage-roll beexactly parallel with the cutting-edge of the knife, it follows that incase the knife is ground, as last indicated, the rolls must becorrespondingly adjusted. To this end I provide the lower end of eacharm a with a vertical trunnion a (see Fig. 8,) which is journaled in abearing or socket a formed on a horizontal trunnion a journaledin ahorizontal bearing in the supporting-frame A. It will be seen that thetrunnions a permit the feed-roll-supporting arms a a to swing, as in myabove-mentioned patent, to give the feedroll the desired movementstoward and from the knife and gage-roll, while the vertical trunnions ajournaled in hearings on said horizontal trunnions a permit the arms toswing in such manner as to keep the bearings at the upper ends of saidarms always parallel with the axis of the feed-roll, so that when thefeed-roll is adjusted to an oblique position, or with one end fartherforward than the other, the hearings in the arms a a will always be inalignment with the axis of the feed-roll, and therefore will not bind orwear unevenly on the journals of the feed roll. This construction alsoenables the bearings of the feed-roll to yield to different degrees atthe opposite ends of the roll in case the thickness of the leathervaries so as to press one end of the feed-roll farther back than theother end, the described double-joint connection of thefeed-roll-supporting arms to the frame of the machine giving the desiredelasticity, as it were, to the feed-roll and permitting its bearings toconform to all the requirements of the work without cramping or bindingupon the journals of the feed-roll.

My improvements also include certain auxiliary devices next described toco-operate with the feed-roll E and guide-roll F in giving all thevariations of treatment to the leather that may be required by thevarying conditions and qualities of leather to which I have abovereferred. Said attachments comprise two pressure rolls or bars 0 and d,of cylindrical form, supported by a movable frame over the feed-roll andgage-roll, and in substantially the relation thereto shown in Figs. 3and 5, each of said rolls having an independent yielding movement, sothat it will frame e are sockets c 6 in which rods ff are fitted toslide, said rods being provided at their lower ends with bearings forthe roll 0, and pressed downwardly by springs g g, thus giving the roll0 a yielding movement. To the sliding rods ff, below the springs g, areafiixed arms h h, projecting forward toward the front of the machine,and to the outer ends of said arms h are pivoted att'the outer ends ofsupplemental arms j, the inner ends of which are detachably secured at ito the arms h, said arms j being adapted to swing vertically on saidpivots 2', and provided with sockets j'j', in which are fitted slidingrods 70 7c, the lower ends of which are provided with bearings 70' k, inwhich the roll dis journaled. Springs Z Z, arranged between the bearingsk and socketsj, give the roll (1 an independent yielding movemengbothrolls 0 and d being adapted to yield together by the springs J. One ormore springs It may be employed to exert a downward yielding pressure onboth the rolls 0 and (1, said spring being attached at its lower end, at]L2, to the supporting-frame and at its upper end, at h to one of thearms h. By means of the spring h and the independent springs gand Z asufficiently forcible pressure is imparted to the rolls 0 and d toenable them to co-operate effectively with the feed-roll and gage-roll.It will be seen, particularly by reference to Fig. 13, that the rods ff,having bearings in which the pressure roll or bar 0 is mounted,arescrew-threaded along their upper portions and are provided with nuts 15,which support the lower ends of the springs g, and with nuts 16 and 17at their upper ends, the nuts 16 constituting stops, which bear on theupper ends of the sockets in which the rods f slide and limit thedownward movement of the pressure roll or bar 0 toward the feed-roll andgage-roll. Hence by adjusting the nut 16 the normal position of thepressure roll or bar 0 may be adjusted to any desired extent. The nut 15enables the pressure or force of the springg to be varied in a mannerwhich will be readily understood. It will be seen that the roll 0 islocated over the throat or space between the feed-roll and gage-roll,while the roll 01 is located over the gage-roll. Hence the roll 0 isadapted to act as a pressure-roll for either the main feed-roll E or thegage-roll F, the arrangement of the roll 0 being such that the leathercan pass behindit and between it and the main feed-roll E, as showninFig. 9, or before it,,so as to be pressed by it against the periphery'ofthe gage-roll F, as shown in Fig. 10. Some kinds of leather will be besttreated ITO * the feed and gage rolls 1 find that the wrinkles may betaken out and the leather properly stretched and smoothed by passing itunder both the rolls 0 and d, said rolls co-operating in pressing theleather against the gage-roll F, as shown in Fig. 11. The yieldingmovement of the rolls a and d enables them to conform to the thicknessof the leather and to press the leather closely against the roll orrolls with which they co-operate.

If desired, the roll d may be removed from the machine or madeinoperative by removing the armsjj or by disconnecting each of said armsat one-end from the arm h thatsupports it and swinging said arms jupwardly, thus raising the roll cl from its operative position withoutdisconnecting it from the machine.

The frame 2 may be raised to make the rolls a and (Z simultaneouslyinoperative by any suitable means, such as a treadle m at the base ofthe machine, Fig. 4:, connected by a rod 07. with an arm or lever 0,affixed to ears pp on the frame a, the arrangement being such that adepression of the treadle will raise the frame 8 and thus separate therolls- 0 and cl from the feed-roll E and gage-roll F, this displacementof the rolls being necessary to permit the insertion of thick pieces ofleather.

If desired, the rolls 0 and 01 may be locked so that they will notrotate, thus causing them to exert a considerable degree of friction andresistance on the leather for the purpose of more perfectly stretchingthe same before it reaches the point where it is split. To this endlocking-pins q q, Fig. 5, may be inserted in holes formed in said rollsa and 01, said pins being suitably supported by the parts which supportsaid rolls, the latter in this case being converted into bars.

It will be seen that the improvements thus far described comprise one ormore pressure rolls or bars adapted to co-operate with the feed-roll E,or both the feed-roll E and the gage-roll F in themanner shown. Whensaid devices are permitted to rotate as pressurerolls, they rotateloosely and receive their rotary motion from the leather or material onwhich they bear, the latter being moved by the gage-roll of the machine.By providing these pressure rolls or bars, one or more,I am enabled toinsure the proper splitting of different kinds of leather and adapt themachine to all the requirements which naturally arise in a boot and shoefactory.

I do not limit myself to the conjoint use of the two rolls a and cl, butmay use either-roll singly, as in some cases the roll d, co-operat ingonly with the gage-roll F, may be used, the roll 0 being omitted, asshown in Fig. 12. I desire, therefore, to be understood as coverroll ofa leather-splittin g machine of the class above described, as well asthe conjoint use of the two rolls, as here shown, said roll or rollshaving a yielding pressure upon the leather.

\Vhen the course of the leather is as indicated in Fig. 9, theadvancingend of the sheet or piece of leather is deflected and guided into thethroat or space between the bar or roll 0 and the feed-roll E, by meansof a swinging plate or strip 0', which is affixed to arms 0 pivoted at cto the arms h h and pressed yieldingly by springs 0 toward the roll 0.

The position of the plate or strip 0 is such wardly and caused to passbetween the roll a and feed-roll E, instead of avoiding the meetingpoint of said roll 0 and feed-roll E, as it would be liable to do if thesaid guiding or deflecting strip 0 were not employed.

1" represents a brush arranged to act on the fluted periphery of thefeed-roll E for the purpose of removing from the creases thereof thematter which is liable to be deposited therein by the pressure of theroll against the leather. Such matter eventually fills the creasesbetween the longitudinal teeth orcorrugations of the feed-roll, thusdepriving the feed-roll of the positive control of the leather which itis desirable said roll should possess, so that the feed is not of thepositive character desired. Said brush may be adapted to rotate, asshown in Figs. 2 and 3, its shaft being journaled in suitable bearingsand provided at one end with a pulley s, which is connected bya belttwith a pulley u on a short shaft U, which is driven by a connection withthe driving-shaft C.

In Figs. 5, 6, and 7 I show the brush as adapted to reciprocatelengthwise, and in this case the shaft or rod 7", to which the brush isaffixed, is provided with a feather r Fig. 7,

IIO

and groove permitting the brush to reciprofeeding a series of strips ofleather such as, welt-strips-to the point where the leather is graspedand carried forward to the splittingknife. Said attachment, which isshown in perspective in Fig. 14, comprises a chute or guide havlng aseries of'channels 2 2, each adapted to guide a welt-strip, saidchannels the guide-bar, while by screwing up the nut the guide may beaffixed to the bar at any point to which it may be adjusted. Thislateral adjustability of the chute or guide enables it to be changedfrom point to point, so that as fast as a given portion of the knifebecomes dull the work may be presented to another portion of the knife.The bar 5 is affixed to the outer portions of the arms h on the swingingframe e, so that by raising said frame the guide or chute may beelevated above its operative position.

When the guide or chute is employed, the forward roll or bar dis removedfrom the machine to make room for said chute, said rolld beingunnecessary in the splitting of narrow strips or welts. The guide orchute is arranged to conduct the strips or welts to the upper surface ofthe gage-roll, so that said strips pass over the gage-roll, under theroll or bar 0, and between the gage-roll and feedroll.

It is obviousthat the strip guide or chute above described may be usedin connection with the feed-roll and gage-roll, the pressure roll or bar0 being removed.

I have also shown in Fig. 14, and in detail in Figs. 15 and 16, a gageto determine the distance between the gage-roll and feed-roll. Said gagecomprises two members, the first of which is a pointer 9, affixed by aset-screw 10 to a socketed block 12, attached to the sliding bar 13, onwhich are formed the wedges which determine the position of thegage-roll with reference to the feed-roll, as shown in my patent abovementioned, said wedges being adjusted by an endwise movement of the bar13 on which they are formed, said bar being lettered t in the patentreferred to. The other member of said gage is a plate 14, affixed to afixed part of the frame of the machine and provided with marks orgraduations,as shown in Fig. 16. The pointer 9 is curved, as shown inFigs. 13 and 15, and extends from the bar 13 to the plate 14, its outerend being in such proximity to the plate that it co-operates with themarks on the latter in indicating the extent to which the wedge-carryingbar 13 has been moved endwise from its starting position, the. latterbeing the position it occupies when the gage-roll and feed-roll are attheir closest approach to each other. It will be seen, therefore, thatany movement of the wedge-carrying bar 13 which increases ordecreasesthe distance between the gage-roll and the feed roll will beindicated by the described and that said indicating device can beadapted very readily to existing types of machines.

The block 12 has longitudinal slots 21 21, Fig. 15, which receive thescrews that attach said block to the bar 13. Said screws permit thepointer 9 to be adjusted to the proper initial or starting position onthe bar 13. Every grinding of the knife requires a readj ustment of theinitialor starting position of the pointer if the latter is to beaccurate.

InFig. 5 I show a chute 20, arranged to deflect toward the front of themachine the pieces of leather which pass down the front sids oft-heknife, and another chute 21, arranged to defiect in similar mannerthe pieces which pass down the rear side of the knife,

said chutes being arranged to deliver the pieces at different points, sothat each grade or series of pieces will be separated and delivered byitself. In some cases it may be desirable to use only one of saidchutes, and

either the chute 20 or the chute 21 may be used, the other beingomitted, according to character of the work.

I claim 1. In a leather-splitting machine, the combination, with a fixedknife, a gage-roll, a feed-roll journaled in arms do, and a double oruniversal joint connection between said arms and the supporting-frame,constructed to permit the said arms to turn on two axes at right anglesto each other, whereby the bearings of the feed-roll are kept inalignment with the axis thereof under all adjustments of the feed-roll,as set forth.

2. In a leather-splitting machine, the combination of a fixed knife, anadjustable gageroll, a feedu'oll, arms a a, having bearings, for thejournals of said feed-roll, vertical trunnions a on the lower ends ofsaid arms,and vertical bearings a receiving said trunnions and providedwith horizontal trunnions 0. which are j ournaled in fixed horizontalhearings in the supporting-frame of the machine,--as set forth.

3. In a leather-splitting machine, the combination, with a fixed knife,a feed-roll, and a gage-roll, of a frame pivotally connected to thesupporting-frame of the machine, rods, such as ff, movable in said frametoward or from the feed and gage rolls, a pressure-roll or bar carriedby said rods, means for adj usting said rods to determine the initialposition of said pressure roll or bar toward the feed ICC and gagerolls, and means for adjust-ing the and the pressure roll or bar aredepressed,

' the pressure-roll an additional downward bination, with a fixed knife,a feed-roll, and,

a gage-roll, of the frame e, hinged or pivoted to the supportingframe ofthe machine, the pressure roll or bar 0, journaled in hearings on saidrods, the springs 9, whereby said rods and the pressure roll or bar aredepressed, the arms h, attached to the rods f, the plates 3', detachablyor pivotally connected to the arms h, the rods 7c, fitted to slide insockets in the plates j, the pressure-roll d, journaled in bearings onthe lower ends of said rods, and the springs Z, arranged to givedownward pressure to the pressure roll or bar cl, as set forth.

6. In a leather-splitting machine, the combination, with a fixed knife,a feed-roll, and a gage-r011, of an inclined chute or guide having aseries of ways or, passages arranged to guide a series of strips to thefeed-roll and gage-roll, as set forth.

7. In a leather-splitting machine, the combination, with a fixed knife,a feed-roll, and a gage-roll, of a chute or guide arranged to present aseries of strips to said gage-roll and feed-roll, means for laterallyadjusting said guide to present the material to different portions ofthe knife, and means for securing said guide in any position, to whichit maybe adjusted, as set forth.

8. In a 1eather-splitting machine, the combination, with a fixed knife,a feed-roll, and a gage-roll, of means for adjusting said gageroll, saidmeans including a longitudinallymovable bar 13, an index-fingeradjustably secured to said bar, and a graduated plate affixed to thesupporting-frame and arranged to co-operate with said finger inindicating changes of posit-ion of the gage-roll, as set forth.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification, in thepresence of two subscribing witnesses, this 28th day of April, A. D.1891.

JOSEPH A. SAFFORD.

